# Why don't we eat pigeons? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [May 4, 2026, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782 "2026-05-04T14:55:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/61 "2026-05-05T00:07:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Now there is a valid question in that the graphic is the number of tons of the hoof. So more the static supply of growing meat, not the consumption rate of that meat. How much fuel is in the fuel tank is different from what’s the fuel flow rate out of the tank. But, also, the fact that not all cattle (nor goats) are domesticated, nor will all of them wind up as meat for human consumption.sooner or later. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/62 "2026-05-05T00:08:34Z")
> [@sunacres](#): > > This contradicts the xkcd graphic above, at least generally. @gnotiall’s graphic and post is about meat consumption; @LSLGuy 's graphic and post is about the total weight of mammals on the planet. The two are somewhat related, but it shouldn’t be too surprising if they don’t tell exactly the same story. ---
**Author:** ![sunacres](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@sunacres](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sunacres)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/63 "2026-05-05T00:10:20Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > The two are somewhat related, but it shouldn’t be too surprising if they don’t tell exactly the same story. Understood, but they seem to tell a fairly different story regarding pigs and cows. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/64 "2026-05-05T00:10:44Z")
The cite I found is on-point to the issue of meat consumption. The XKCD cite is not. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/65 "2026-05-05T00:29:42Z")
It could be said more people on the planet eat goat meat than pork or beef, I guess. I mean those two meats are against some religious restrictions, and goats are common. But those of us that eat beef eat a lot more meat than many others on Earth. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/66 "2026-05-05T00:35:06Z")
That proposition I could certainly believe. e.g.: “More people will eat at least one serving of goat this year than at least one serving of beef.” ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/67 "2026-05-05T00:41:54Z")
Yeah, that sounds more believable, doesnt it? ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/68 "2026-05-05T00:46:32Z")
In the 1950s, there was a fad sweeping the nation where couples would compete to see who could poison the most pigeons in parks. Nobody wants to eat a bird that’s been poisoned. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/69 "2026-05-05T00:47:26Z")
No wonder the world seems so out of tune these days. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/70 "2026-05-05T01:03:38Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > Goat meat is easy to find in my city, although we do have a lot of immigrants from South Asia, Africa, and the Levant. It tastes like roast beef but is awfully tough No it doesn’t! It tastes much more like lamb than beef, and really, it has a somewhat distinctive flavor of its own. Also, the goat I’ve had, admittedly kid, not adult goat, wasn’t tough at all. (I’ve had goat meat from two sources. One is a tourist farm, where you can feed the baby animals and also buy the meat. I’ve bought frozen kid from them and roasted it. The other is an Indian restaurant that had small bits of highly seasoned stewed goat in some of the dishes. That could have been almost any meat. It could have been pigeon.) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/71 "2026-05-05T01:08:22Z")
Goat is a big part of the Indian/Pakistani dinner buffet that I go to. It’s usually stewed, and reasonably tender. It tastes just like lamb (not surprisingly). ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/72 "2026-05-05T01:11:41Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Also, the ghost I’ve had, admittedly kid, not adult goat, wasn’t right at all. Okay, I know “ghost” = goat, but what is “right” a swypo for? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/73 "2026-05-05T01:44:55Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > It tastes much more like lamb than beef, and really, it has a somewhat distinctive flavor of its own. I refer to it as ‘goaty’ 😃. Which sounds like I’m making a joke, but I’m not. Goat milk tastes goaty, goat-milk cheese tastes goaty and unsurprisingly goat meat tastes goaty. I do find it similar to lamb (which I really like and prefer), but as you say distinct. Though I don’t dislike the flavor, the more intensely goaty it is generally the less palatable I find it. Just like mutton is an acquired taste over lamb that I’ve never acquired. Actually now that I think of it, I think I prefer milder-flavored proteins very generally. I mean I do prefer turkey thigh over turkey breast and like I said above I’m fond of lamb. But I always prefer milder white fish to stronger-flavored, fattier, oilier fish. I prefer pork to beef. Beef to most game meat preparations I’ve tried (I’ve had individual exceptions). Roasted meat to smoked meat. Goat is fine, overall. I’ve had rank, tough, unpleasantly greasy goat and a more delicate-flavored, very pleasant goat. I think that variability might be baked in to the inconsistency of what mom and pop restaurants can source in the United States, because it has been in either goat tacos or in a goat birria in small taquerias. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/74 "2026-05-05T02:45:59Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > > [@puzzlegal](#): > > > > Also, the ghost I’ve had, admittedly kid, not adult goat, wasn’t right at all. > > Okay, I know “ghost” = goat, but what is “right” a swypo for? 🙂 Tough (And my phone just “corrected” that to “right” again. I had to carefully fix it.) ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/75 "2026-05-05T02:51:09Z")
Your phone doesn’t seem to be as fond of goat as you are. 😄 ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/76 "2026-05-05T03:46:03Z")
My phone doesn’t eat meat at all. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/77 "2026-05-05T11:55:50Z")
It’s an electrotarian 🤪 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/78 "2026-05-05T12:16:42Z")
> [@fedman1](#): > > well, now that I think about it, I’ve read about and seen in movies how inner-city dwellers maintained pigeon coops on roofs. but haven’t seen anything to substantiate that. Since they’re in a controlled cage and fed “healthy?” feed, I would think they would be okay to eat Back when I lived in Chicago proper I encountered a few people/families that still maintained a small pigeon coup for eating purposes. Yes, what’s fed to confined pigeons is a lot different than the literal garbage that feral pigeons might be eating. that was 30 years ago now, and even then the practice was dying out. I have no idea how common this might be now. Rumor has it during the Great Depression wild city pigeon were on the menu, along with any other wildlife that might be in the parks like squirrels and rabbit. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/79 "2026-05-05T12:41:31Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > ETA…don’t want to know about “organically” raised chickens. I prefer my chicken meat to have eaten chicken feed. Not bugs and worms wallowing in the mud hole they live in. The eggs from chickens who live on bugs and worms lay much better tasting eggs. I used to wonder why the eggs my grandmother made were so much better than the ones my mom made. I got my answer when my mom made me some eggs when were at my grandparents’ house; it was the chickens, not the cook. We had an egg farm, and our hens are only chicken feed. Grandmother’s chickens ate all manner of creepy crawlies. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2026, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782/80 "2026-05-05T12:42:07Z")
I tend to place pigeons, geese, and seagulls all in the same category, that category being defined as “creatures that emit liquified shit”, preferably on your car or on public statues. Not my idea of appetizing. Somehow we’ve made eating chickens acceptable, and I’m still onside with that, and with some fish, but I can well appreciate the POV of a vegetarian and am trending that way myself. I admit that sometimes I cheat by accepting meats that are so highly processed that there’s no sign of where they originated. But the idea of a small creature where the butcher’s selling point is “we’ve removed most of the liquified shit as best we could” isn’t a strong selling point with me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-dont-we-eat-pigeons/1029782.md?page=5)